Diamond clarity.
In order to determine the clarity of a diamond, you'll need
someone with a trained eye to view it under 10-power magnification.
The majority of diamonds are born with miniscule "birthmarks" known
as inclusions.
Not two diamonds are the same: the color, size and position of the inclusion is unique to any natural diamond.
The smaller and fewer the inclusions, the more able
light can pass through the diamond, contributing significantly to
its rare beauty.
More than any other gemstone, diamonds are
capable of producing the maximum amount of brilliance.
Thus a diamond which has less inclusions and surface blemishes
is more rare and, by definition, more valuable.
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A diamond's clarity can be affected by two types of
flaws:
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External flaws: these are any of the impurities that
are on the surface of the diamond. External flaws are the result of wear and tear on the
diamond or from damage caused during cutting.
-
Internal flaws: These are any of the many impurities
that reside solely in the interior of the diamond. There are many kinds of internal flaws.
A few important ones that you should familiarize yourself with are:
Black or dark spots: carbon or other dark spots.
Clouds: Clouds, are microscopic inclusions that lower transparency.
Fracture (feather) - the majority of imperfections in diamonds are the result of
breakage in the diamond chemical structure.
Clarity grading:
The most common instrument used for Clarity Grading is the hand held loupe or microscope
(based on 10-power magnification). This means, for all intents and purposes, any
imperfection that cannot be detected with a x10 magnification does not
“exist” while grading a diamond.
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